3D technology allows merchant marine officers to digitize worn-out parts on board. A clear example: a ballast pump seal that is no longer manufactured. With a portable scanner, the exact geometry is captured, sent ashore, and printed in metal or polymer. This avoids weeks of waiting for spare parts.
Programs and workflow on board 🛠️
The officer needs a scanner like the Artec Leo or the Revopoint POP 3. Software such as Geomagic Design X or Fusion 360 is used to clean the point cloud and model. For printing, Cura or Simplify3D is used. The process reduces logistics costs and allows spare parts to be manufactured on deck, as long as the machine is calibrated and the material withstands saline corrosion.
The day the lieutenant printed a toilet seat 🚽
It all sounds very technical until the third watch officer, bored on a Sunday, decides to scan and replicate the cabin's toilet seat. The result: a piece that fits perfectly but smells like burnt plastic and deforms with heat. At least, the captain was able to say that this is what there is, officer, a cup of our own design.